So far, the parasite has been detected in arctic foxes both in Svalbard and in Canada. Illustrative photo: Gorm Kallestad / NTB
By NTB | 17.01.2023 21:45:34
medicine and health: – If the fur disappears, in patches or completely, this leads to poorer insulation and a great loss of heat, and the fox risks dying of cold, explains researcher Eva Fuglei from the Norwegian Polar Institute in a Press releaseaccording to The nation.
Lusa dislikes the cold, but thrives under thick fur. The lice are so annoying to the fox that they intensely scratch the infested areas, which causes the fur to fall off.
So far, the parasite has been detected in arctic foxes both in Svalbard and in Canada. The fur seal was first discovered in Svalbard in 2019, but since then it has increased at an alarming rate.
A dreaded parasite, high infection rates and rapid, uncontrolled spread have researchers working at full speed to uncover its consequences.
– We see that fur is lost on infected animals, but we don’t know enough about how this affects heat loss in winter, says Fuglei.
(© NTB)